Toxocariasis: An occult cause of childhood neuropsychological deficits and asthma?

Abstract

Toxocara infection traditionally has been associated with three possible manifestations: asymptomatic toxocariasis, visceral larva migrans, and ocular larva migrans. Recent literature, however, suggests that Toxocara infection may be associated with yet another clinical form, covert or “nonclassic” toxocariasis. This nonclassic toxocariasis is neither asymptomatic toxocariasis nor the full-blown syndrome of visceral or ocular larva migrans. Individuals with covert toxocariasis will not present with the full spectrum of symptoms but with a variety of individual and separate clinical entities, such as asthma, seizures, or neurocognitive disorders. Copyright © 2000 by W.B. Saunders Company